


helping hands

by lionlannister



Category: Constantine (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-22
Updated: 2015-01-22
Packaged: 2018-03-08 14:30:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3212573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionlannister/pseuds/lionlannister
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>basically i just needed some fluff after the last episode.</p><p>post Saint of Last Resorts Part 2</p>
            </blockquote>





	helping hands

Annie fell asleep on the couch not long after the exorcism was finished and Zed followed soon after but Chas stayed awake, he watched John carefully as he twisted his wrists and ankles to loosen them up after they were restrained, both of them silent. When John tried to stand he was unsteady on his feet from so long being pinned down and the positions the demon twisted his body into, Chas caught him just before he fell and pressed tightly to him, not caring that he was getting blood on his shirt. “ ‘S fuckin’ embarrassing.” Even as he said it John wrapped his arms around Chas’ neck and let himself be lifted off the bed. 

“They’re both asleep, it’s just me.” John was still tense so Chas rubbed the skin of his arm as he carried him away from the living room and two sleeping women. He walked slowly but his room wasn’t far and it took them no time at all to reach the bathroom connected to it. Chas sat him on the toilet seat gently before turning on the water in the shower and letting it get warm. “You’ve still got blood on your chest.” He offered this as an explanation for his actions and John didn’t look up at him but did nod his head and start unbuttoning his shirt. His fingers were shaking just like the rest of him so Chas went down on his knees in front of him and finished undoing the buttons and pushed it off his shoulders onto the floor. With the cloth gone Chas could see not only the blood and dirt on his skin but the bruises left behind from where he’d had to hold him down on the bed. The bruises made Chas pale and he had to look away from them when John stood up and Chas helped him out of his pants. 

Only after John was standing under the spray of the water did Chas undress himself and get in behind him, making sure every touch was gentle and slow. John inhaled sharply at the hot water hitting his overly sensitive skin and Chas was careful when he dragged a soapy wash cloth down the skin of his chest The blood washed off and the bruises stayed. 

Eventually John turned around in Chas’ arms and rested his head on the larger man’s chest, just standing still and silent while Chas cleaned him and touched him, never letting his hands get rough no matter how much he wanted to grab him and pull their bodies together. John was so quiet while he was washing him that Chas was worried about him, even when John had bad days he was usually talkative no matter what they were doing, especially when what they were doing involve nudity, not that Chas was touching him in that way or had any plans to do that. Not now. Not when John looked like the only thing keeping him from collapsing was Chas’ grip on him.

When the water running off of them was clear Chas moved his hands to grip John’s cheeks and rub gently at the back of his neck. “It’s okay, you’re okay.” John was shaking his head and refusing to meet Chas’ eyes so he kissed him and brought him as close to his body as he could, still keeping his hands light and just barely kissing him, only enough for John to feel him and know he’s not alone right now. Chas knew John well enough to know that he wasn’t okay, not yet at least, he could put on a face for Zed and Annie but once they were alone it fell and he was left with the knowledge of what he had done again. In a few days he would be able to fall back into his old self but for now Chas would just hold him and kiss his temple and make sure he remembered to eat and drink. That was enough of a job on it’s own on the best of days. 

They got out of the shower and John was drained and exhausted enough that he let Chas wrap a towel around him and pay him down before he stepped into the sweatpants that Chas grabbed for him. “I remember what I said to you.” His voice came out weak and raspy from screaming during the exorcism. Chas remembered it too, the words coming out in a cruel imitation of John’s voice and the way Chas had fallen for it and gone for him with his fingers itching for his throat, he leaned down and kissed the skin of John’s neck to make up for what he tried to do. 

John shuddered again but this seemed to be for a better reason. “It’s okay.” His voice is still quiet and he takes John into the bedroom and puts him carefully onto the bed, he can still see the bruises from his fingers were still showing on his chest and Chas couldn’t stand the sight of them. “I’m sorry, about those.” John looked down as if he’d forgotten them and when he noticed the marks on his skin.

“Whatever, mate, you’ve given me bruises before.” He managed a smirk and if Chas had been anyone else he might have believed it, he can see in John’s eyes that he wished he would believe him, or at least pretend to. 

“Those were different, and the first few times I did that I felt bad too.” He could remember seeing bruises on John’s hips from where he gripped him while pressing him down into a mattress or against a wall, the hickeys on his neck and scratches from Chas’ beard, but John had moaned while he got those, not screamed about killing them or begged them to kill him.

Chas sat down beside him and ran his fingers through John’s dripping hair, he felt the smaller man relax at his small touches so he kept his hands on him but didn’t press or push for anything more. His hands worked down John’s neck and shoulders, just trying to rub out some of the tension he could feel in the his muscles. Eventually John relaxed enough that Chas could push him onto the bed and rest on his side while running his fingers down his chest, making sure to avoid the bruises from his fingers. John’s eyes fluttered closed and the lines in his forehead started to disappear, not that they would ever go away fully. When his breathing was even and a small smile was on his face Chas started to get off the bed but John’s hand latched onto his wrist and his eyes opened. “I’m just going to get a glass of water, I’ll be back, I swear.” John watched him for a moment more and Chas leaned down to kiss him and promised again. 

Zed was starting to wake up when Chas walked through the living room to get to the kitchen and she looks up at him with tired eyes and he had a feeling that if Annie hadn’t been asleep beside her she would have asked about John but she kept quiet and he nodded at her on his way back to the bedroom.

He took a moment to stand in the doorway and watch John breathe slowly, his muscles relaxed and he's moved so his lower half is covered by the blanket on his bed. It was easy for Chas to see he was still awake but at least he was trying to sleep and not just getting out of bed and pretending he was about to collapse. "You're lurking." John’s smile seems slightly less forced than it had earlier but he still looks like he’s on the verge of tears so Chas made his way back into the room, putting the glass of water on the table beside John before lying down beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling John so that his back was pressed to Chas’ chest.

It took John a long time to fall asleep and Chas spent the entire time kissing his head and whispering that it was going to be okay, that it wasn’t his fault, that he would make sure he was okay. Once his breathing was even and he had stopped shaking Chas relaxed his grip on him, though not by much. “I love you. I love you. Please be okay.”


End file.
